Always There
by cartuneslover17
Summary: When the pets make a discovery about Blythe, their human friend refuses to speak about it. What could possibly be troubling her and why does she refuse to speak to seven little guys that mean the world to her as she does to them? And what was so troubling about some photo?
1. Chapter 1

**_Yeah, it's been a while since I've posted anything here. But I will say the the Hub's newest show Littlest Pet Shop has given me inspiration. I had become an instant fan of it and the relationship Blythe has with the pets is something truly wonderful. :)_**

**_PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! ;D  
__**

"Check and _double _check."

Russell grinned with content as he marked his clipboard once more, turning his attention away from the crates that separated the loud squeaky toys from the much quieter ones. He was yet to lecture a certain lizard and mongoose about the significance of separating such provocative items.

The hedgehog flipped to the next page, inspecting the rest of the items he had scanned numerously since the day started. His eyes lowered with satisfaction, grin softening as his gaze fell from one double checkmark to the bottom of the page.

"Check double checks on checklist," he declared as his pen slid across that empty panel on the sheet.

However, the checkmark ended midway before he could create the curved V-shape. Russell sighed with frustration as he pulled his pen away. That was the second pen to lose ink this week.

"Just great," he muttered, rolling his eyes. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to stock up on new pens, and there was still so much to go over and check off.

Suddenly, an idea struck the organized hedgehog.

_I'll go see Blythe!_ He thought excitedly, _she has tons of pens. I'm sure she'd be willing to hand over at least one._

With that in mind, Russell tucked his clipboard under one arm before making his way over to the dumbwaiter that led to the top floor where he was sure his dear human friend was at the moment since he was well aware of her school schedule and such. Seated comfortably on the wide panel, he was about to tug on the rope before a soft voice called out.

"Oh, are you going to see Blythe?"

The hedgehog shifted his eyes to a certain panda of dark purple and white, her violet eyes gazing up at him with a serene-like disposition.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Russell responded, "yes, I am."

"Great!" Penny Ling chirped with a cheerful demeanor as she hoisted herself onto the frame and plopped herself beside him. "I want to see what Blythe's been designing lately!"

Her eyes widened with anticipation as Russell, with a roll of his eyes, gently raised them through the barrier from the pet shop.

"Oh, after the last dress she designed for me just for the ball," she sighed dreamily, "I can't imagine her creating something even _more _beautiful and perfect."

"Penny Ling," Russell spoke with a tone to match a stern father's, "Blythe probably has homework to do. And based on what I've seen from her textbooks, math is no walk in the park."

The female panda gave him an awkward expression. "You keep track of even Blythe's school work, too?" She asked, not sounding too surprised.

_"Too?" _Russell repeated stiffly. Before he could question her further, the frame came to a halt and they were greeted by the lights of the familiar room they had entered many times.

Scanning the bedroom, the two pets caught sight of their human friend, whose back was turned to them as she sat in front of her laptop, typing away as the text filled the screen.

"See? I told you," Russell told Penny sternly. "She's doing her homework, probably another current event report for English."

"Wow, Russell," Penny cocked her head to the side, gazing at him questionably with a nervous curve of her lips.

Blythe Baxter ceased her typing and quickly turned, her surprised expression shifted to one of content as she smiled at two of her animal friends.

"Oh, hey, guys," she greeted.

"Hello, Blythe," Russell greeted courteously.

Penny Ling just waved, her eyes mesmerized by yet another 'Blythe style' outfit her human friend was wearing. A blue blouse sparkling as if bathed in glitter, brown khaki shorts with a green sash through the belt holes, and dark blue sandals. Even her hair was magnificent as Blythe had it combed back in a high ponytail with a plastic blue flower pinned to the side. The little panda was so dazzled by the newest fashion of the day that she barely heard Russell speak his request to Blythe.

"I was wondering if I could trouble you for an extra pen," he asked politely, gesturing to the clipboard in his tiny paws.

"Triple checking the checklist, I presume?" Blythe chuckled dryly.

"No," Russell responded quickly, folding his arms with a huff. "Only doubling the checks."

"Right," Blythe rolled her eyes before she turned back in her seat and looked over he desk. "I'm sure I had a good one with thick, black ink here somewhere."

"Oh, I can help!" Penny snapped to attention as she rushed forward and reached over to the various drawers on Blythe's desk.

The human girl gave Penny a concerned glance as her drawers were immediately pulled back and the panda was swimming in a pile of designing materials and various other items either Blythe forgot about or had forgotten to throw away.

"Uh, Penny Ling, be careful," Blythe spoke in a timid tone, "there's some stuff in there that's kind of-"

"Is this the pen you were talking about?" Penny exclaimed happily, popping her head from the bottom drawer, a thick layer of dull blue clothing draped over one side of her face, grasping a jet black ballpoint pen.

Before Blythe could answer, the shift in Penny's body in the pile of materials caused some of them to spill out. A few tiny notebooks, buttons, and cut-outs from designer magazines littered the floor between them.

Russell smacked his face with a paw, groaning in frustration from Penny's carelessness.

"I'll clean it up," Penny announced eagerly as she hopped from the drawer, spilling more items onto the floor in the process.

"Better let me assist you," Russell insisted with a reluctant tone as he made room for Blythe to move from her seat and lie on her knees to help the panda.

Penny hummed to herself as she tossed a few buttons back into the drawer, followed by a few designer cut-outs. She picked up another piece of paper, assuming it was another cut-out of the latest fashion. However, peering at it closely, the panda's humming ceased as she blinked curiously.

"Say, Blythe," Penny Ling called to her, "who's this lady?"

Blythe, arms filled tiny notebooks and cut-outs, turned to her in confusion. "What lady?"

"The lady in this picture," Penny added as she showed her discovery.

Blythe lowered her head and stared at it, before she let out a horrified gasp.

Both Russell and Penny Ling gazed at their human friend in confusion as Blythe immediately dropped everything she picked up. Before Penny could blink, the picture was snatched from her tiny paw.

"Wha-?" Penny could barely speak as she stared at Blythe, whose blue eyes were as large as wheels and her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

"That was nobody!" Blythe cut in sharply, anxiety evident in her tone as she slammed the picture face-down on her desk, causing it to slightly shake. "Nobody! No one! Have no idea who that is!"

Both Russell and Penny Ling watched her closely. The hedgehog raised an eyebrow in question while the panda simply gazed at Blythe curiously.

"No one?" Russell repeated, not one to be fooled.

"Yeah!" Blythe's false cheer in her tone unable to provide much aid as she let out an even more false laugh. "No biggie!"

Quickly, Blythe grabbed the pen Penny Ling found and slapped it into Russell's unsuspecting paw, making the hedgehog flinch with surprise.

"Well, it was great seeing you!" Blythe hurriedly pushed them toward the dumbwaiter. "But, you know, I got schoolwork to do! You know, this and that!"

She gently placed them both back on the frame, her nervous smile becoming much too big for her face to accommodate.

"But, Blythe-" Penny wanted to speak.

"Sorry, bad time right now!" Blythe cut in, her hands grasping the rope.

"Hold on," Russell spoke out, hoping for her to spare a few moments, "what about your math homework? Does it need some checki-"

Although Blythe wanted them both out of her hair this very moment, she did not _purposely _let go of the rope, sending the frame of the dumbwaiter spiraling down, her two animal friends screaming with surprise.

Blythe gasped, stunned by a mistake she thought she would _never _make again. She winced as the harsh scraping of the frame against the wall ceased, and the sound of a loud crash on the bottom floor made her nearly jump with fright.

Nervously, Blythe poked her head into the dumbwaiter's opening, her blue eyes filled with concern.

"Are you two okay?" She called down.

Her anxiety slowly faded when she received a response of two loud groans.

"Other than math," Russell's voice crooned through the walls from the pet shop, "you _really_ need to work on your physics."  
_


	2. Chapter 2

_**All I can say is thanks for checking out my story and leaving such great reviews, all those who read it! LPS ROCKS! :D**_

_**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! ;)  
_**_

Blythe blew a sigh of relief, a small smile tugging at her lips as she turned away from the dumbwaiter and strolled back to her desk. However, her smile slowly vanished when she gazed at the photo Penny Ling had discovered moments before.

The image lay facedown, its presence making the entirety of Blythe's bedroom feel suddenly uncomfortable.

Blythe's worried frown morphed into one of irritation as she snatched the photo off her desk, yanked the bottom drawer open, and threw it back inside as if it was gum found off her shoe.

Slamming the drawer closed, making her entire desk rattle a bit, Blythe closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

_Just pretend it never happened_, her mind repeated calmly as she sat back down in front of her laptop, _I'm sure Russell and Penny Ling already forgot about it by now.  
__

After brushing themselves off and fending minor injuries from the unexpected repeat of the dumbwaiter incident, Russell and Penny Ling were soon joined by the other pets as they stood beside their usual spot at the chair.

Penny was unable to contain her astonishment as she spoke, though carefully and peacefully, about what she and Russell had just witnessed on the top floor. It was quite difficult bringing into detail, mainly due to their visit in Blythe's room being a short one, but straight after Russell explained he needed a pen from their human friend, Penny immediately added her part from having made a tiny mess to discovering the photo in Blythe's drawer.

The other pets listened closely, eyes wide with curiosity and anticipation as the panda did her best to explain while trying not to make it seem complicated on Blythe's part.

"And then she just pushed us out," she concluded.

"And dropped you down _hard_," Pepper Clark cackled, finding humor in her joke despite no one else finding it funny.

"So it was a picture of a woman you found in Blythe's things?" Zoe Trent asked, her blue eyes blinking questionably at Penny Ling. "Well, have you any idea who the woman might be? Perhaps maybe why she makes poor Blythe so intimidated?"

"I really don't know," Penny shrugged sadly. "All I can say is that she was a very pretty lady."

"Oh, I think I got it!" All eyes turned to Vinnie as the gecko scaled alongside a nearby wall, something he usually did in his spare time besides dancing.

Flipping the side of his hair back as he released himself from the wall and landing on his feet, the gecko pointed a finger upwards as if a lightbulb suddenly lit up before him.

"She's a really pretty lady, right?" He asked eagerly. Without waiting for an answer, he snapped his fingers, having quickly searched his brain. "She's got to be one those, you know, super famous, super rich girls whom Blythe probably adored like some crazed puppy, am I right?"

He didn't wait for any objections as his brain racked for more answers.

"Or maybe she's just some old enemy from back in Blythe's old hood, right?" He rubbed the back of his head, feeling slightly embarrassed for his sudden outburst. "I mean, here there are those two twins with the freaky eyeshadow, man."

"Unfortunately, both sound like pretty good guesses," Zoe commented with a sigh.

Russell tapped his chin, pondering. "But why would Blythe be so secretive about it?" He asked aloud.

"If I may suggest something," Sunil Nevla intervened, "our Blythe probably stored that photograph in her drawer for good reason. And I think it is best we never find out that reason."

"Oh, come on, Sunil!" Pepper barked, sidling behind him and nearly startling the mongoose. "If Blythe had any problems, she'd tell us, wouldn't she?"

"Pepper is right," Penny Ling nodded in agreement, "I mean, we always share our problems with Blythe. In fact, if we never had, and Blythe couldn't understand us..." She added under her breath. "We would all be at Largest Ever Pet Shop."

Vinnie felt a shiver down his spine when she said that, his fingers twitching with discomfort at the thought of what could have possibly happened if Blythe never moved on the top floor, if she never discovered the dumbwaiter, if she never understood what animals were speaking...

"I'm all for Penny Ling here," Zoe announced rather dutifully, "Blythe is our dear friend, and whatever she is hiding, she can't simply hide it forever. She will eventually speak with us."

"By with us, meaning _me_," Russell spoke up, working his new pen atop his clipboard.

"You?" Pepper snapped, rather offensively, folding her arms.

"Well, as the most organized of the group," Russell stated. "And the one with the most common sense..." He added under his breath. "I think it would be best if Blythe talks to me. We'll talk, see what's up, have a big laugh, and then done. Simple as that."

"Uh, hello, Dr. Bill!" Vinnie sang with exasperation as he shoved himself in the hedgehog's face, staying clear of his quills. "This isn't like some TV show where things start off with a problem then simply fixed in less than thirty minutes!"

Russell bit his tongue, refraining from lashing out at the simple-minded gecko. Instead, he just folded his arms and turned his head with a huff, sending the other pet a dirty look.

"Guys, come on," Penny Ling pleaded, standing between them, "we're all arguing just because we're now worried about Blythe."

"All because of a picture you saw," Pepper Clark added.

"And that picture is what shows that Blythe is hiding something," the panda stated with concern, "something probably really bad."

"You said it was a pretty lady," Minka pointed out, "how does a pretty lady prove something bad?"

"I really don't know," Penny sighed sadly, "but all I know is that poor Blythe must be holding something back, and that's not good for her."

"Very true, Penny Ling," Russell nodded in agreement, "from what I've read, bottling certain things up could result in emotion sickness or even severe depression that can grow worse if not dealt with."

"Gee, thanks, Doc," Vinnie rolled his eyes. Soon his expression melted into one of concern, the information sinking in. "Oh, man! I don't want Blythe to get sick!" He cried. "If she gets sick, then she'll have to go to the vet! If she goes to the vet, then they'll find something wrong with her, and then...and then..." He gulped.

The hedgehog groveled in exasperation at his dimwitted gecko friend. "No, Vinnie, you mean...oh, never mind."

"Uh, everyone," Sunil spoke nervously, all eyes falling on him. "It's most appreciative that we truly want to see what is wrong with Blythe, but, uh...I highly doubt she'll speak to us about such anytime soon."

"Why, you're right, Sunil," Zoe Trent said, "Blythe may be an incredible designer with a heart of gold, but she can tend to be a bit...erm, _persistent_."

"For a second I thought you were going to use 'stubborn'," Pepper Clark joked.

_"Oh! Oh! Oh!"_Everyone turned to Minka Mark, the pink-furred monkey bouncing up and down with her arms flailing. "I got an idea!"

"Almost afraid to ask," Pepper joked again, earning a slight glare from Zoe.

"Remember the time we snuck into Largest Ever Pet Shop to rescue Zoey's sister Gail?" Minka asked.

"Except is wasn't Zoey's sister," Vinnie interrupted, "just some guy who looks like a girl and has a girl's name."

"Well, scratch that," Minka chirped, "remember the whole 'Operation: Gailbreak' stuff?"

"Of course," Russell spoke, "I mean, I was the one who planned the whole thing."

"Good thing you had plans B-Z when things got out of hand," Penny couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, I've come up with a whole new operation!" Minka announced. "It's called 'Operation: Photosnatch'!"

Silence reigned among the day-camp as the other pets gazed at her in confusion.

_"Photosnatch?"_Pepper repeated in an unappealing tone.

"Well, I was originally going to call it 'Operation: Break-Into-Blythe's-Bedroom'," Minka laughed, "but the other one sounds so much cooler!"

"Wait a minute," Russell interrupted, "break into Blythe's bedroom?" He regarded her as if she were even _more_insane.

"No," Minka shook her head, "of course not!" Then she gleamed. "We just go into Blythe's room tomorrow when she's at school. She'll never know and we'll be quick."

The hedgehog's eyes could not grow any larger as his jaw nearly hit the floor.

_"No!"_ He protested. "Absolutely not!" He folded his arms with determination. "The first time we came to Blythe's room, we, and by we, I mean _you guys_, created an incredible mess for poor Blythe to clean up! Even after that day, we were still welcomed into Blythe's room whenever we wanted, and I am not about to lose that trust!"

"Ah, lighten up, you big brother in little hedgehog quills," Pepper chuckled, giving him a playful punch on his shoulder. "We're not betraying Blythe's trust or anything like that."

"No?" Russell exclaimed. "Okay, how does 'putting it at risk' sound?" He stared at her carefully. "And wait a minute...don't tell me you actually want to go with Minka's plan!"

"It's a great plan!" The monkey shouted.

"I must admit," Zoe cut in, "the whole of it seems rather risky but overall incredibly fitted." Then she beamed. "And I do need to borrow another beret from dear Blythe, of course."

"Hey, if that's the case," Vinnie popped in, "I'm in!"

"Me, too," Penny added, stepping beside him, "as long as we don't do anything bad, then okay."

"Um, I guess since it's just upstairs I could handle so," Sunil proclaimed, feeling rather confident.

All eyes fell on Russell, whose paws gripped both his pen and clipboard rather tightly. Finally, the hedgehog sighed under the expectant glances of his friends.

"Fine...I'm in."  
_

The next day, Blythe slowly rolled out of bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she slipped into her fuzzy pink slippers and tiredly walked out of her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

As soon as the door closed with a click, a loud whirring sound emerged from the dumbwaiter, Russell gripping the rope with an expression of regret.

"Good thing it's Friday..." He muttered, gazing around the bedroom before his eyes fell on the familiar desk.

Nodding to himself, the hedgehog immediately lowered himself down, just in time as the bedroom door opened and Blythe entered with a glass of milk in hand.  
_

All seven pets huddled against the shop window as they watched Blythe exit out the door, sending them a wave, vaguely surprised to see their faces pressed against the glass and watching her leave.

The pets, fake smiles plastered on their faces, waved back, watching as Blythe walked down the street, becoming a mere speck in an instant.

"And..." Pepper's voice droned as that single speck was out of sight. "...she's gone."

"Alright!" Russell announced, grabbing everyone's attention. "'Operation: Photosnatch' is underway!"

"You actually like my idea!" Minka exclaimed, incredibly impressed by his devotion.

"I'm just trying not to get us all in trouble," Russell corrected before he took out his clipboard. "Alright, it's Friday, so it's a possibility Blythe might hang out with her human friends after school, but we can't risk it. Most Fridays she likes to come home and see us."

"Aww, she's so sweet," Penny cooed to herself.

"However, according to what Blythe discussed back on Monday, there's a bake sale after school," he went on, "and Blythe mentioned she was going to help out her science teacher sell cupcakes."

"Mmm..." Vinnie moaned with delight. "Cupcakes..."

"Of course, none of that should matter," Russell stated, "if we are quick and just get the photo, analyze it, and put it back before we return to the pet shop. And pretend nothing happened." He added hesitantly.

"What are we waiting for?" Vinnie exclaimed, pointing a thin finger at the dumbwaiter. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"

Without another moment wasted, all seven pushed their way onto the panel that accommodated their combined weight. Three of them took hold of the rope, tugging at it as the panel began rising.

Soon, they found the empty bedroom in which Russell had been in earlier. The pets quickly hopped from the dumbwaiter, scattering about the room, Zoe mostly searching through some of Blythe's accessories for a beret to borrow.

"Over here, guys," Penny Ling said, beckoning the others behind her as they neared Blythe's desk.

Russell felt a lump in his throat as he neared the familiar desk. "Oh, we're just asking for trouble..." His nose twitched. "Smells like it as well."

"Uh, no..." He immediately turned to Pepper, who hunched over on the floor, a familiar aroma surrounding her and venturing throughout the bedroom. "That's just me. Sorry, I guess I'm just as nervous as you are." She chuckled dryly.

The hedgehog groaned. "I should have brought air freshener. Now Blythe's room is going to reek of Pepper Clark."

"Guys," Penny called, digging into the open drawer she had been in just yesterday. "It's in here somewhere."

Russell let out a horrified gasp as the Panda carelessly tossed items out of the drawer through her searching. She was creating a far worse mess than the day before.

"Come on!" He griped, rushing to pick up the materials littering the floor. "Just a little organized? That's all I ask!"

The panda ignored him as her tiny paw gripped something familiar deep within the drawer. With a triumphant grin, Penny pulled out the same picture.

"I found it!" She exclaimed happily, nearly tripping out of the drawer.

The pets gathered around her as she held the picture out for all to see. Russell remained just as worried, playing with his tiny fingers while also turning to the clock every now and then.

"Wow," Minka Mark commented. "That sure is a nice photo of...whoever she is."

Vinnie nodded in agreement. "I'd date her."

All eyes turned to him in disbelief and the gecko just shrugged.

"Just saying," he snapped.

"My word," Zoe Trent stated, gazing at the photo, "she is absolutely _gorgeous_!" She tapped a paw to her chin and pondered. "But why would Blythe feel so uncomfortable and keep something like this secret?"

"Hey, guys!" All eyes turned to Pepper Clark as the skunk dug into the same drawer Penny just searched. "Check this out!"

The pets gathered around the drawer as Pepper threw a few interesting items on the floor, much to Russell's horror.

"Pepper!" He cried. "That is completely insensitive of you to do to Blythe's things!"

"Chilax, Russell," the skunk assured him as she hopped out of the drawer and stood beside the items. "Just look."

The hedgehog, face still heated with fury, lowered his green eyes to the items and gazed at the curiously.

An old, brown book. A light purple envelope. And a black box of some kind.

"How peculiar," Zoe commented as she neared the brown book. Her paw lightly touched it, before she flipped it over.

Penny's eyes loomed over the title of the book. "_Back When..._?" She read. She turned to the others in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"Sounds like the start of one those weird haikus or whatever," Vinnie answered, gazing at the book.

"Only one way to find out," Pepper stated as she reached over and flipped to the first page.

Everyone gasp.

"Look!" Sunil exclaimed as he pointed at the first page.

"That's the same lady from the photograph Penny found," Russell observed. He pondered a bit. "I believe there could be a larger connection between the photo and this book." He turned to the remaining items on the floor. "And these other things. But what?"

Suddenly, his nostrils were immediately invaded by a familiar scent and he gasped before covering his nose with both paws.

"Sorry about that!" Pepper Clark apologized. "Guess I'm both nervous and kind of excited."

"Alright, that's it," Russell announced, still clutching his nose. "We're done here. Mission's a success. Let's get out before-"

_"What the heck is that smell?"_

All eyes immediately turned toward the doorway, and before any of the pets could run and hide, the door swung open and there stood Blythe, a pink box under her arm.

"Wha-?" She gasped in mid-sentence, staring at all the pets that were present in her room.

Russell felt the color drain from his cheeks and he smiled nervously. "Uh, hi, Blythe..."

"Uh, back from school so soon?" Pepper added with a weak chuckle.

"Weren't you suppose to be at some bake sale?" Vinnie couldn't help but ask.

"I was," Blythe answered, still regarding them in question, holding the pink box closer to her side. "I just forgot my cake and..."

Her eyes immediately fell on the photo still clutched in Penny Ling's hand.

Blythe gasped in horror, nearly dropping her cake. Her eyes darted toward the items on the floor, and her jaw couldn't be any more lower.

"What were you...?" She squeaked in fear.

Russell gulped. "Blythe, I know this looks bad-"

_"Bad?" _Blythe cried, sounding more horrified than furious. "You guys were looking through my things!"

Before Penny knew it, the picture was once again snatched from her tiny paw. Blythe gazed at the familiar photograph, her blue eyes widening even more, her bottom lip trembling.

"Oh, no..." Sunil gulped, gazing at the pained expression on Blythe's face.

"Blythe, we're really sorry!" Russell pleaded. "I was actually against the idea, but everyone else wanted-"

He was immediately cut off when Blythe held a up hand to silence him. The hedgehog ceased in mid-sentence, swallowing hard and remaining stiff.

All the pets watched as Blythe's eyes remained closed, her bottom lip nearly being chewed off as she sucked in her breath.

"Just go," she said quietly, eyes still shut.

Her animal friends gazed at her worriedly, frightened more by her hushed tone than the fury they had expected would emerge from her throat.

Without another word, each of them slowly made their way back to the dumbwaiter, not breaking their glances from their human friend as she remained in place, her hand clutching the photo while the cakebox was still tucked under her arm. Vinnie longed to sample some of that cake, but his appetite immediately evaporated as he gazed at Blythe once more, his chest hammering with guilt.

Once all the pets were seated atop the panel, Penny Ling, feeling the worst out of everyone, spoke up.

"Oh, Blythe!" She choked, trying her best not to shed tears. "I'm really sorry! I really am!"

Blythe, however, acted as if she hadn't heard her. Back turned, their human friend left them to lower themselves back down to the pet shop. The pets watched sadly as she placed the photo back in the drawer then, without even a glance at them, quietly left her bedroom.

"Oh, this is horrible!" Zoe Trent exclaimed dramatically. "So horrible!"

"Horrible doesn't even begin to describe this..." Sunil added sadly.

"You're right," Pepper said, ears lowering in despair. "This is the worst."

Penny Ling couldn't take it anymore. She just bursted into tears, sobbing rather loudly as the dumbwaiter descended to the pet shop.  
_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Well, this is the last chapter, guys, thank you all for reading. I especially like to thank Drizzle117, who makes the best LPS stories I've read. :)**_

**_PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! ;D  
__**

Out in the campus courtyard, students shrouded the area, the noise erupting from every student almost deafening. Tables and booths lined down the neatly cut grass and assorted desserts were among perfect viewpoint for anyone with a sudden sweet tooth craving.

Blythe's human friends chattered amongst each other excitedly as they placed their homemade goodies on the table, hoping each dish would make a sell until not a single crumb was left.

The brunette herself remained silent, unable to release even a small smile that would brighten anyone's day as she placed her cake next to her good friend Sue's cupcakes.

Sue caught sight of Blythe's condition and gazed at her curiously. "Something wrong, Blythe?"

"Huh?" Immediately breaking from her thoughts, she turned to Sue as students lined up to purchase something.

"You seem a bit down," her friend observed while their other friends, Jasper and Youngmee, were busy handing out treats.

"Oh, uh, me?" Blythe bit her lip momentarily. She prayed Sue contained no psychic abilities and dig into her emotional state. "Down? No..." She chuckled nervously, painfully giving a false grin. "Okay, maybe a little..."

She quickly formulated a little white lie in her brain before Sue could question her further.

"I haven't really baked in a while," Blythe blurted out.

The orange gold-haired girl raised an eyebrow at her, making Blythe feel even more tense.

"I, uh..." Blythe gulped. "You see, I've burned a good few sweets in my time." She shifted her eyes toward her cake.

It was an ovular-shaped dessert with fluffy, pink frosting towering over it, followed by the addition of a few berries to create more attraction.

"Uh, yeah," she continued, feeling sweat under her collar, "this one survived...although I wonder if the taste will actually benefit from it."

She almost wanted to shut her eyes and hope Sue didn't catch her lying. Much to her relief, her friend smiled, falling for the excuse.

"Oh, that's what it's about?" She laughed. "Blythe, you're not the only one who's had a few baking disasters in the past." She jabbed a thumb at herself. "One time, I was trying to make chocolate turtle cookies, and all the nuts caught fire in the oven."

"Oh, same here," both turned to see Jasper and Youngmee merging into the conversation, "I tried making almond cookies the way my grandmother does it, they tasted more like bitter melon seeds than almonds!"

Jasper chuckled. "I, however, baked so bad that the fire department had to rush over to my house!"

Blythe blinked in astonishment by Jasper's confession. The image created in her mind seemed quite entertaining.

"Oh, thank, miss."

The brunette turned her head and gazed over her shoulder, eyeing a girl with blonde braids shaking hands with a tall woman with reading glasses. Blythe immediately remembered she was one of the counselors from the school.

"You're welcome, Miranda," the woman told her with a smile, "if anything is up, feel free to come to my office and let me know about anything."

Blythe watched in confusion, wondering what had occurred between that student and counselor.

"Oh, it's Miranda Armington," Youngmee stated as she looked in Blythe's direction. "Looks like she finally came clean with Ms. Cheeron."

"Came clean?" Blythe repeated questionably, unable to break her gaze from the two.

"This is the anniversary of the month in which Miranda's mother died last year," Sue whispered to her.

That completely caught Blythe off-guard as her eyes nearly popped out in shock.

"You probably didn't notice, but Miranda's been kind of keeping to herself with, you know, all the pain and stuff and not wanting to talk to anyone about it," Jasper added, "Yeah, this is the month when she lost her mom and it's been really affecting her this month. Looks like she's finally going to talk to someone about it. You know, get some things off her chest that she thought she never wanted to do..."

By now, Blythe didn't hear Jasper's voice. She didn't hear much of anything as her eyes remained focused on Miranda and Ms. Cheeron.

She didn't even hear the person who asked to purchase her cake.  
_

Russell sadly gazed at the clock, no pen or clipboard at hand this time as he simply sat on the floor, idly counting the seconds.

"Well..." His voice holding no cheery mood as he shifted his emerald eyes to his friends. "The school bake sale is nearly over by now, and Blythe is probably on her way home."

"And by home, you mean the top floor of this building," Pepper spoke out, her tone filled with slight remorse and self-hate. "_Only_," she added.

During the time the pets were sadly lounging around the day-camp, Penny Ling's tears had dried, but the panda was unable to cease new ones that formed around the edges of her every now and then. The most sensitive of the pack just sat on a pillow, shoulders hunched and her head bent down, sniffling and trying to keep her blubbering under control as not to make it seem worse.

"I feel like such a jerk, guys," Vinnie stated quietly as he gazed at the wall he was attached to. "While I'm still thinking about poor Blythe, I can't get cake out of my head, either!"

"Oh, come on," Sunil chided, leaning against the wall his gecko friend was attached to, "it's not like Blythe is going to bring any cake for us."

"Better yet, not bring herself," Minka called out, laying in her tire swing. Usually, she would be found swinging it to its limit, but today, it was as still as a turtle in a race.

"Oh, dear!" Zoe Trent cried out mournfully, laying on the reclining chair that stood at the corner of the room. "This is the _worst, possible thing ever_!"

"You said that like a hundred times since Blythe left, Zoe," Pepper rolled her eyes.

"Well, it is!" The blue-eyed Spaniel argued. "Blythe never talking to us again is, by far, worse than anything _ever_!"

"It's the worst thing ever!" All eyes turned to Penny, whose tears poured down like a waterfall, soaking the floor as well as the pillow she laid on.

Vinnie immediately released himself from the wall and ran over to try and comfort the overly sensitive panda.

"I don't think Blythe will avoid us forever," he assured his friends, "I mean, she lives above the pet shop, for catnip's sake."

"So does an ex-husband who lives in the basement of his and his ex-wife's house," Russell called out.

All eyes turned to him in confusion as well as surprise. The hedgehog just shrugged.

"What? You guys never read 'Person's Magazine' ever?" He challenged.

All eyes turned toward the doorway as the sound of a bell chimed in the air. They assumed it was Mrs. Twombly having stepped out for some fresh air.

However, expressions of surprise reigned among each pet as a familiar brunette with sparkling blue eyes casually walked across the store toward the day-camp, a familiar pink box under one arm.

"S-she's coming this way!" Penny stuttered nervously.

"Maybe she's just going to use the dumbwaiter," Pepper assumed sadly, "totally just going to ignore us and make her way up to her room."

Zoe bit her bottom lip. "Not even make eye contact..."

Vinnie felt his hair deflate with depression. "Not even going to utter a word to any us..."

All the pets turned away, feelings of guilt and being ashamed rose once more; none of them bothered to gaze at the human they loved more than anything who was probably never going to speak to them after the incident up in her room.

"Hey, guys."

Ears and tails perked up, stunned expressions whirled around and gazes rose to meet the face of Blythe Baxter, who returned the look with slight concern.

No arched eyebrow in anger, her lips weren't curved with disgust, nor were her hands on her hips whenever she felt rage.

She appeared perfectly calm standing before them, her eyebrows knit together in worry and no fury shone in her blue eyes.

The friendliness and love still remained in those sparkling irises of her.

None of the pets said anything, trembling with fear that at any given moment Blythe's casual posture would disperse and she would either lash out at them or break down and demand why they had done what they did.

Russell, willing to take the most impact, stood protectively in front of the other pets, his green eyes gazing into blue ones. He never thought it was possible, but even his quills were trembling just as much as his knees were beginning to.

"Um..." How unfortunate that being the second most verbose in the day-camp(not even coming _close_to Minka), he actually had no words to say that could weaken the awkwardness sifting between him and Blythe.

"How was the bake sale?" Sunil squeaked, anxiety clinging around his throat like a dog's teeth to a bone.

Blythe, by now, noticed how guilty this party appeared, and she had to manage a small smile, touched how she had been on each of their minds since she left for school.

Choosing to ignore the timid mongoose's question, Blythe bent down to their level. This gesture was quite confusing to the pets, but each managed to contain enough courage to slowly creep closer to their human friend.

Blythe, satisfied they were willing to create such closure, managed to slightly increase the size of her smile.

"I have to show you guys something."  
_

The trip to Blythe's room became awkward as well as slightly confusing as all seven pets stood around the familiar desk, their human friend digging into the drawer Penny had been into twice.

The panda herself just watched, the burning guilt resurfacing as she saw the same materials slowly spill out of the drawer. Not even Russell could manage enough gall to help pick them up.

"Here we are," Blythe announced quietly, pulling out a few things.

The old, brown book.

The light, purple envelope.

And the small, black box.

Pepper gasped, seeing the familiar items gently placed in front of them. "But Blythe! I thought you never wanted us to look at these things ever!"

Her human friend resumed only a ghost of a smile, shaking her head softly.

"You guys are my friends," she spoke calmly, "and maybe I should have been a bit more open about, well...this."

She held out a familiar photo for all to see. All the pets gazed at it in wonder, questions rising as well as uncertainty at what Blythe was implying this moment.

Penny, knowing it was she who brought it up the first time, managed to step forward, gazing at the picture of the woman she thought was very beautiful.

"Who...who is she, Blythe?" She asked nervously.

She was stunned to see that small smile on Blythe's lips replaced with a slight frown, yet no anger was evident in her face. Her expression gave out something more like sadness, the feeling of losing hope.

"She was my mom."

Penny gasped in horror, the other pets followed.

"Your mom?" Sunil cried.

Penny gazed at the photo once more. Now she knew why she thought the woman looked so beautiful.

She looked just like Blythe.

The same radiant brown hair, the sparkling blue eyes, the gifted smile.

Vinnie felt slightly sick in the pit of his stomach. "I can't believe I said I'd actually date her," he gulped.

"But all we've seen is your dad!" Minka exclaimed. "I mean, where's your mom if, you know, you have one?"

"Minka!" Russell chided her through clenched teeth.

"No, Russell," Blythe assured him, gazing at the photo, her expression even more pained. "It's okay."

Zoe stepped forward. "Oh, darling, what happened to her?"

The dog immediately gasped before Blythe could respond. Suddenly, Blythe found her lap accommodated by more weight as well as a tight grasp around her waist and a nose buried against her chest.

"Oh, Blythe, darling!" Zoe cried out, and Blythe was unsure whether the dog was being either overly dramatic or being real this time. "She's dead, isn't she?"

Zoe loosened her grip and gazed at her sympathetically, her bottom lip quivering. No, she certainly wasn't being overly dramatic.

Blythe was touched by the act of love Zoe showered her with, but that still didn't cease the familiar pain Blythe felt years ago.

"No..." She answered quietly.

Zoe's eyes widened. "Wait...what?" She gazed at her in confusion.

"She's not dead?" Russell asked, just as surprised.

"How is she not dead if she's not here?" Pepper demanded, her mind driven like a roller coaster of confusion and anticipation.

Blythe barely noticed the awaiting stares as she remained quiet for some time. Finally, she let out a sigh.

"She's not dead..." She repeated. "She...she abandoned me."

_"What?" _The pets cried.

Russell was the first to speak. "She abandoned you?"

"Left you and your dad?" Pepper cried, her heart breaking into pieces at such information.

"How could she do that?" Minka cried, nearly at tears almost as much as Penny was.

"And she calls herself a mother!" Vinnie growled.

Voices rang from every direction, out of shock, out of anger, but mostly out of sympathy for their unfortunate human friend. She was grateful for their given concern, but she was on her way to getting a major headache.

"Guys, guys..." Blythe spoke out, trying to calm everyone down. "Come on, it's okay."

"No, it's not okay!" Zoe cried. She leaned against Blythe, bringing out the sad puppy eyes in her older dog's face. "Blythe, sweetie!" She was near tears. "We're so sorry to hear that!"

Blythe managed a sad smile, stroking the Spaniel's ears.

"Thanks," she managed to say.

Penny watched as Blythe continued stroking Zoe out of comfort for both of them, then shifted her gaze back at the other materials on the floor.

"Um, Blythe..." She squeaked nervously. "Does your mom have something to do with...with these?" She picked up the old, brown book and turned the page, showing the familiar woman once again.

The brunette immediately stopped stroking Zoe, and gazed at the things that brought so much pain. Not just to her, but had to her father as well. But she wouldn't mention him just yet.

"Yes," she finally spoke.

She reached over and gently took the book from Penny's paws and gazed at the second photo of her mother.

"This was a photo of my mom taken before my dad proposed to her," Blythe said barely above a whisper.

"How come there aren't more of her?" Minka asked, hoping her curiosity wouldn't budge too far.

Blythe was silent for a few moments. "Dad told me she took the rest of the photos with her."

By now, the pink monkey's tail was limp and her pigtails were nearly deflated.

Russell swallowed hard. "W-when did she leave you two?" He was almost afraid to ask.

Blythe closed her eyes, reverting to the same feeling she had when she was very young and longing for her mother's touch.

"When I was just a baby."

The hedgehog felt an even larger lump in his throat, trying to man up and not just burst into tears the way Penny had.

How could something like this have happened to someone as amazing as Blythe?

Blythe Baxter, their only human friend besides Mrs. Twombly. The girl that discovered the old dumbwaiter by accident and found them, not only that, able to communicate with them.

The one who worked hard to save the shop from closing down, who saved the pets from going to the horrid Largest Ever Pet Shop.

One who would offer advice when one of the pets did something stupid like insult the other for fun...offer a shoulder to cry on...have adventures with...love each of them with all her heart just like she did with her father.

And her mother couldn't even do _that_?

"I-I'm sorry, Blythe..." Russell was mentally kicking himself for not uttering better words to comfort his pained friend.

Blythe turned to him, and she sighed once more.

"It's alright, Russell," she assured him, though her voice held no truth behind it.

She closed the book and placed it down beside him before reaching over and picking up the purple envelope. The pets realized the seal had been opened a long time ago as Blythe opened it and took a small paper out.

"This was all my mom wrote when dad first found it after he brought me back from the ice cream shop," she said mournfully.

Russell realized she was handing the material to him and, with trembling paws, took it before slowly opening it. He expected to find a whole paragraph explaining why Mrs. Baxter up and left such a good father and a just as wonderful daughter behind.

But all he found was just one word.

_Goodbye._

Emotions began to fluctuate in the hedgehog and he wasn't sure whether to feel sadness or rage. A part of him wanted to tear the letter apart, hoping, through spiritual technicality of some sort, Mrs. Baxter would feel his rage, along with the other pets, for having hurt her precious daughter who was the best friend any human or pet could ask for.

Instead, he just dropped the paper to the floor, almost like is was something disgusting picked out of the trash.

Russell never felt so angry before. Sure, he had a few mood swings and would erupt with heated words, mainly out of plead for order and sanitation. But this...

Blythe...kind-hearted, sweet-natured, ever-so-helpful Blythe...

"And that wasn't all she left," his ears perked up at the sound of her voice and his eyes drew to her hand reaching over to the black box.

Blythe picked it up, the box almost feeling like a ton of metal under her delicate hands. Finally, she opened it.

Beauty sparkled in each pet's eyes and it was then they realized it was a ring.

"Mom's wedding ring," Blythe choked a bit.

Zoe's jaw dropped, but not because of how beautiful the piece of jewelry was. It was very beautiful indeed, perhaps costing a fortune.

And Blythe's dad had spent that much just for a woman he wanted to spend his life with. To raise their daughter with.

Zoe's legs drew close and she whimpered a bit like a helpless puppy.

Penny's dark blue eyes just seeped tears, the beauty of such a ring ironically causing so much pain for each of them.

How could Mrs. Baxter do such a thing? Just up and leave something that would have been her joy all the years since Blythe's birth?

Penny Ling knew there were such things as cruel humans. The Biskit twins were a prime example, but this woman Blythe is still able to call her mom...

The panda could only wonder how Mr. Baxter handled raising Blythe all by himself, let alone finding the courage to explain to his growing daughter the truth about why she didn't have a mother.

Blythe could feel the emotions and tears as she slowly closed the box, sealing away a part of the familiar pain once again.

"I...I may have been just a baby," she choked a bit, "but I could tell dad was really hurt by the betrayal."

The way that word rolled off the tip of her tongue was almost like venom, and, indeed, Blythe actually did hold a grudge against the woman she never got to know.

"I really hated my mom..." She confessed. "But...but a part of me hoped that maybe, just maybe, she'd come back."

She turned back to her tear-stricken friends, all huddled together and gazing at Blythe with helpless sympathy.

"That was why I felt upset about moving here at first," she added, "because I wanted to wait for my mom to come to our old house and maybe we could work things out...become a family again."

She bent down and placed the box next to the envelope and brown book. Laying beside it was also the picture of her mother. Her dad had given her the photo, hoping it would formulate some kind of positive memory despite knowing his own daughter still held bitter feelings about her mother having left the both of them, and before even Blythe knew about the world around her.

Blythe often wondered what would happen if her mother had never left her. What if they all moved to the city. If Blythe still had her gift to talk to animals, would she confide in her own mother?

Sure, the woman looked like her...but were they truly the same?

Maybe, maybe not.

All Blythe knew was that her mother made the choice to just abandon her, break her vows of remaining loyal to her dad, hurting her own family.

No, maybe that woman didn't have a family anymore. She lost it as soon as she stepped out of their old household and never returned.

Blythe often wondered how that woman was living right now. Had she re-married? Started a new family that she was actually happy with?

Or maybe, as Blythe often thought when the bitterness overwhelmed her, truly dead?

Such old feelings having returned really re-created that tender hole in her heart, and Blythe thought she had let such things go.

She still had her dad, her dreams, and love to no limit.

And her friends.

The brunette's eyes loomed over the pets who gazed at her worriedly. Though she had been scared out of her wits the first time she met them on account of them actually _talking_, Blythe realized she had fallen in love with them immediately, and a beautiful friendship had been formed.

And the creation of an adventure more exciting than anything Blythe had ever thought of.

So her mother had up and left her family.

But Blythe had up and discovered new family.

For the first time today since the incident this morning, Blythe actually gave a sweet, tender smile, one so familiar to the pets that made their hearts melt.

"But I still have my family," she confessed as she bent down to her knees in front of the seven pets. "And you guys are part of it."

The pets gazed at her in utter astonishment, concerned feelings immediately replaced with ones of awe.

The loved Blythe with all their hearts. She was their friend, their guardian...and they did consider her family just as they considered each other a brother or sister.

Blythe couldn't wait a second longer as she opened her arms to them. "Come on, guys! Group hug!"

The pets happily obliged, chortling and murmuring with joy as they raced into her arms, quickly gathered in one large embrace that combined them all as one.

Penny nuzzled her cheek against the length of Blythe's arm, her heart pounding in both anticipation and glee.

"Blythe," she spoke softly with a smile, "we're sorry we snuck in here this morning."

"Yeah..." Pepper murmured, her head resting against Blythe's chest, "we should have just asked."

Blythe just smiled, not wanting to let them go just yet.

"I should have been more open," she confessed softly. "But that's okay now. We're good."

It just a few more moments before they reluctantly released from their embrace, Blythe placing each of the pets back on his or her feet.

"Blythe," Russell stepped forward, holding a smile that warmed the room, "I know you're okay now. You're a big girl and you've very strong. But..." He motioned to each of the pets. "We just want to let you know that we're here for you."

"We always will," Penny added heartily.

The brunette felt her heart melt, and at that moment, if it were even possible, she felt even more in love with them than she had the first time.

"Aw, thanks, guys," Blythe cooed sweetly, trying not to tear up.

"So, uh..." Vinnie traced the floor with a slender foot. "Brought anything from the bake sale?"

**"VINNIE!" **The other pets chided him.

Blythe laughed. It felt so good to laugh again after all the weeping and sorrow that happened today.

"As a matter of fact," she said simply as she took out the cake box she had earlier, "I do."

She lifted the lid and low and behold, assorted finger treats shone in front of the pets, especially Vinnie. The gecko's mouth watered at the sight of various colors of cakes, cookies, and other goodies awaiting him.

"Leftovers from the sale," Blythe said proudly. "I thought you guys would like them."

No response was needed as the box of treats was practically attacked by the seven animals with sudden sweet teeth.

"Oh, man," Vinnie murmured, dazed and pleased as he licked frosting off his fingers, "this is even better than what we're fed!"

"Pepper, please!" Zoe protested. "You're getting sprinkles on my coat!"

"I'll have some sprinkles," Minka chirped.

"Any chance we could have milk?" Sunil requested through mouthfuls of cookies.

Blythe just smiled as crumbs and frosting contaminated her bedroom floor. Oh, well, she could clean it up later.

She knew a sugar rush would turn up from these seven animals anytime soon and Blythe would regret ever giving them these leftover baked goods.

But that was okay.

She would always be there for them, just as they would always be there for her, no matter what.

_**FIN  
_**_


End file.
